John Galliano: Downfall of a Couturier – WWD WWDStyle issue 03/02/2011 PARIS — A fashion giant has fallen. Paris Fashion Week gets under way today under shock. Christian Dior ousted its star couturier, John Galliano, on Tuesday amidst mounting allegations he uttered anti-Semitic insults and an explosive video depicting him saying, “I love Hitler.” This story first appeared in the March 2, 2011 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today. The dismissal marks one of the most dramatic designer flameouts in recent history, and interrupts a spectacular career, robbing fashion of one of its greatest showmen. It will surely spark debate about whether the 50-year-old British iconoclast will be able to rebound from the taint of anti-Semitism, overcome what appears to be alcohol addiction and rehabilitate his image to resume working in fashion. It could also set in motion a reshuffling of designers at the highest levels of international fashion, as one of the most coveted and high-profile jobs in Paris is suddenly up for grabs.

It is understood that Dior — reeling from Galliano’s fall from grace within the space of a week — has yet to turn its attention to the delicate issue of succession and, in a sign of continuity, plans to go ahead with its fall fashion show slated for Friday in a tent erected in the gardens of the Musée Rodin here. Sources said it has yet to be decided if Sunday’s show for the John Galliano line will go ahead. Meanwhile, Galliano’s Italian licensing partners are said to be reeling in the wake of the crisis and uncertainty about that brand’s future. The final straw for Galliano — the target of two complaints to Paris police of racist and anti-Semitic remarks — was an amateur video depicting the designer, plainly inebriated, hurling expletives and insults, including references to people being “gassed.” Natalie Portman, a face for Christian Dior Parfums, issued a statement Tuesday morning saying she was “shocked and disgusted” by the amateur video, obtained by British tabloid The Sun and circulated around the world. Its genesis and circumstances remain a mystery. “As an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way,” Portman said.

“I hope, at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful.” She made no mention of Dior. Hours later, Dior said it had commenced termination procedures in the wake of the “deeply offensive statements and conduct by John Galliano” portrayed in the video. “We unequivocally condemn the statements made by John Galliano, which are in total contradiction to the long-standing core values of Christian Dior,” Sidney Toledano, chairman and chief executive officer of Christian Dior Couture, said. He declined to comment further. According to sources, Galliano is expected to issue a statement today. Photos of a pale and shell-shocked Galliano arriving at a police station in the Marais to meet his accusers were splashed all over newspapers around the world on Tuesday, often sharing the front page with stories about mounting pressure on Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi to step down. Galliano spent Monday afternoon at the station as part of an ongoing police investigation into claims he uttered anti-Semitic and racist remarks in separate altercations at trendy Paris cafe La Perle, last Thursday night and last October.

The designer claims he never uttered any racist or anti-Semitic slurs, furnished witness statements to back his case and subsequently filed a claim of defamation, insult and menace against Géraldine Bloch, 35, and her companion at the cafe, Philippe Virgiti, 41. The couple claimed Galliano’s insults included “dirty Jewish face” and “Asian bastard.” Under French law, the penalty for defamation can be one year in prison, a fine of 45,000 euros, or $61,884 at current exchange, or both. For insult, the sentence may be six months imprisonment and a fine of 22,500 euros, or $30,942, or one of those penalties. A spokeswoman from the prosecutor’s office on Tuesday confirmed the police inquiry into the Galliano case has not yet been wrapped up. “I think there are still some people to hear,” she continued, adding she believes the legal process will be rather quick, without giving a specific timeline. The ouster of a designer who has left an indelible mark on Dior — and on the history of fashion — left designers, editors and retailers stunned and saddened.

Many were puzzled by the incongruity of Galliano’s warmhearted, polite disposition and the vile pronouncements captured on camera. Others deemed his behavior and words scandalous and damaging to the industry. In a posting on the Vogue Italia Web site, editor in chief Franca Sozzani wrote: “I am against and I condemn any kind of racism or any behavior that shows disrespect toward any religion.” But she also lashed out at the people who filmed a plainly inebriated Galliano, whose speech was slurred. “If you are truly fighting with someone, you don’t have time to pick up a mobile phone, turn on the video giggling and mockingly film what he is saying,” Sozzani wrote. “I’m just as disgusted by these people who saw what state John was in and took advantage of the situation by trading on his name and notoriety. While I condemn John’s words, I think they were said in a certain moment when he wasn’t lucid.

I am frightened by how quick these young people were to try to gain notoriety or money while destroying the image of a genius.” Joan Burstein, owner and founder of Browns in London, and a longtime supporter who bought Galliano’s entire graduate collection in 1984, said, “I am deeply saddened by the fact that John Galliano has been dismissed. I hope that I have the opportunity to see him face-to-face, as I have no comment to make until I am told the truth by him.” “All I can say is that he was and is a brilliant designer, and I hope that fashion will have some memories,” said Maria Luisa Poumaillou, fashion director at Printemps. “Everyone is sad, and the only thing I’m certain of is that he did an amazing thing for Dior and he gave so much pleasure. I will miss him a lot.” Alexandra Shulman, editor in chief, British Vogue, said, “I think Galliano made a terrible mistake and such offensive behavior could not be ignored.

It is all the same true that he has a huge talent and has contributed enormously to the resurrection of the house of Dior.” Patricia Field sent an e-mail blast to 500 friends, blogs and media on Tuesday in support of Galliano. In a phone interview, she described the designer’s controversial video as “farce” and said she was bewildered that people in the fashion community have not recognized it as such. “People in fashion, all they do is go and see John Galliano theater every season. That’s what he gives them. To me, this was the same,” she said. “But people in fashion don’t recognize the farce in it. All of a sudden they don’t know him. But it’s OK when it’s Mel Brooks’ ‘The Producers’ singing ‘Springtime for Hitler.’ ” Field said Galliano was “acting out a character.” Franco Penè, chief executive officer of Gibò Co. SpA, which produces the John Galliano men’s and women’s collection, urged that justice should be allowed to take its course.

However, he added, “Neither I nor anyone in the company has ever seen anti-Semitic behavior from Galliano, nor was there any inkling ever of anti-Semitism in his attitude.” Karl Lagerfeld, meanwhile, came out swinging. “I’m furious, if you want to know. I’m furious that it could happen, because the question is no longer even whether he really said it. The image has gone around the world. It’s a horrible image for fashion, because they think that every designer and everything in fashion is like this,” Lagerfeld said. “This is what makes me crazy in that story. “The thing is, we are a business world where, especially today, with the Internet, one has to be more careful than ever, especially if you are a publicly known person. You cannot go in the street and be drunk — there are things you cannot do,” he continued. “I’m furious with him because of the harm he did to LVMH and [chairman and ceo] Bernard Arnault, who is a friend, and who supported him more than he supported any other designer in his group, because Dior is his favorite label.

It’s as if he had his child hurt.” A club kid from South London via Gibraltar, Galliano hit the international fashion radar right out of the starting blocks upon graduation from Central Saint Martins. With his theatrical flair and romantic inspirations of epic proportions, Galliano immediately became one of the darlings of editors and retailers, famous for his bias-cut gowns, innovative tailoring and a cheeky, streetwise edge. Commercial success didn’t come as easily. Based in London early in his career, Galliano struggled throughout the Eighties and early Nineties, with a succession of backers. He had to close his business three times after they withdrew their financing because of slow sales growth. Still, his technical virtuosity and knack for making fashion headlines attracted the attention of Arnault, who tapped him in 1995 to succeed Hubert de Givenchy upon his retirement, moving the British maverick to Dior a year later. “Mr. Arnault is a true visionary to put someone like myself in my position,” Galliano told WWD in an interview in 2007.

“Many houses have copied that since.” At Dior, he succeeded a string of legendary design talents: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan and Gianfranco Ferré. Galliano quickly woke up the brand with his bravado, a broad spectrum of fashion expression and a soaring imagination. He has characterized his shows around 1999 and 2000 as “rupture” moments for Dior, including the so-called “Matrix” couture collection that announced a tough-chic moment, and a hip-hop flavored, Lauryn Hill-inspired show that arrived at the onset of logo mania. He has also sent trailer park babes, bruised boxers and rockabilly types down Dior’s ready-to-wear runway. His signature collections have been no less spectacular, from Bollywood beauties dusted in colored powders to a charming, oddball parade of childlike cardboard floats and clothes deliberately too big for the models. During his early years at Dior, Galliano had a broad creative purview that extended to advertising and the Dior Parfums beauty division.

In a 1997 collaboration with photographer Nick Knight, he had Brazilian bombshell Gisele Bündchen in a sweaty, sexy entanglement with model Rhea Durham, prompting cries of lesbian chic. “That was really, you could say, the beginning of full-throttle forward,” Galliano recalled in the 2007 interview. A few seasons later, Bündchen was sweating again in a Dior campaign, this time also smeared with grease, fixing an old Cadillac. Since 2007’s suit-driven “back-to-basics” collection, Galliano has churned out more ladylike and commercial rtw, and ratcheted up references to Dior icons, like the bar jacket, equestrian looks, English men’s wear fabrics and the color gray. In tandem, Dior diminished the profile of Galliano’s fashion campaigns, funneling investments into more “institutional” communication, notably a multiyear print and cinema campaign backing the perennial Lady Dior bag featuring Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard. Still, the couture image of Dior, masterminded by Galliano, is crucial across the company, including the powerhouse Dior Parfums, part of LVMH.

Galliano’s famous inspiration trips to India, China, Japan, Turkey, Egypt, Middle Europe and within France brought rich rewards to his audience — and created some of the most arresting fashion show imagery the industry has ever seen. The designer’s immersion into the story lines behind his collections — be it the hidden life of Wonder Woman, the soirees of the Marchesa Casati or the paintings of Clovis Trouille — was absolute, which is what made his shows unmissable and memorable. Galliano’s ouster, which comes about a year after the suicide of Lee Alexander McQueen, could usher in an era of toned-down fashion shows, as designers came under pressure during the economic downturn to trim budgets. Dior has been taking a minute-by-minute approach to the fast-evolving crisis to protect its $1.1 billion fashion franchise, and safeguard Arnault’s most treasured fashion property.

Shares in Christian Dior SA, the publicly traded holding company for the Dior fashion house and luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, ended up 0.2 percent in trading Tuesday on the Paris Bourse to close at 104.65 euros, or $144.25, while shares in LVMH rose 0.9 percent to 115.30 euros, or $158.93. “As far as Dior is concerned, I wouldn’t worry too much. It won’t be difficult for them to find new talent — it’s every designer’s dream to create for Dior,” said Luca Solca, a senior analyst with Bernstein Research in Zurich. “And I don’t think Galliano’s comments will damage the brand. It is important for Dior to choose the right creative director — and it will definitely be a breath of fresh air.

This has also been free advertising for the brand.” Widely touted contenders for the Dior couture mantle include Hedi Slimane, who walked away from Dior Homme in 2007; Givenchy’s star couturier, Riccardo Tisci, or red-hot Haider Ackermann. Toledano has been leading an upscaling drive at Dior in recent years, in its products, stores and marketing. The strategy has been gaining traction. Revenues grew 15 percent in 2010 to 826 million euros, or $1.1 billion, while profits vaulted 169.2 percent to 35 million euros, or $46.5 million, as reported. Branding and other experts said Dior is likely to rebound from the crisis, especially at a time when large luxury players have put their brands ahead of their star designers. Sara Rotman, creative director and owner of MODCo Creative, likened Dior without Galliano to Gucci without Tom Ford. She said at first, “I think we all held our breath and thought, Oh my God, how is that going to work?

And there was a season when it was a little bit tentative, and I think that they’ve come back strong.” She characterized Galliano as “one of the few geniuses really left in our field.…But I think that the houses are getting really smart about it and soldiering on. I mean, when we lost McQueen, I thought the same thing — My God how are they going to make it? — but the first collection without him is actually quite strong. So I think the houses have a pretty good sense of who they are, and I think it took an enormous amount of strength of character for [Dior] to ask [John Galliano] to step down.” “As we witnessed with Kate Moss’ past transgressions, brands must quickly remove themselves from the negative publicity,” said Meg Asaro, cultural curator at brand image developer Toniq. “Dior is a strong brand with a long-standing lineage. Therefore, it will easily rise above this speed bump in its path. Look at Martha Stewart, a brand whose identity is that much closer [to the founder] than that of John Galliano and Dior.

Martha Stewart bounced back, and so will Dior — but much quicker.” The John Galliano business, based on a licensing model, has also been on a growth track, but it is more intricately linked to the madcap designer, and is majority controlled by Dior. Immediate fallout included the scuttling of a Galliano fragrance launch event scheduled for Germany next week, according to sources. Public relations experts were divided on whether Galliano could emerge from the crisis to resume what had been a stellar fashion career. “I think Galliano needs to justify what he’s done,” said Max Clifford, a London-based p.r. and damage-control expert. “He needs two or three Jewish friends to come forward and tell the public that he is not remotely anti-Semitic in all the years they have known him. Or he has to say it was meant to be a funny rant, or that he was just trying to annoy to the people sitting next to him.” Asked if a public apology would help, Clifford said not necessarily: “In a perfect p.r. world it would, but then look at Mel Gibson.

He apologized and it did not enhance his career; nor did it destroy it.” Moira Benigson, managing partner at the London-based executive search firm The MBS Group, said an apology should have come sooner. “Had he done so, his experience would have been a walk in the park compared to Tiger Woods, for instance.” As for Galliano’s future, she said: “I don’t know what state of mind he’s in right now, but I am sure that someone will snap him up. This will definitely not cause long-lasting damage. Galliano is so important to the industry, and he has so many friends and supporters who will stand by him.” Ilaria Alber-Glanstaetten, ceo of the London branding consultancy Provenance, said the designer “needs to be extremely repentant, check himself into rehab for addiction and anger management, and lay low for a long time. It’s true that a lot of people do come back from scandals, but there have not been mistakes of this kind before.

Honestly, I don’t know if people can stand by those who make statements of the kind that Galliano made.” Karen Harvey, ceo of Karen Harvey Consulting Group, said Galliano “would need to make major changes on a personal level if he wanted to have a future in the business. I don’t think these things are ever truly forgotten — especially this case.” John Galliano | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry 48 Followers Biography One of fashion’s most controversial and creative talents, John Galliano made his much-anticipated return to fashion, following his appointment as creative director of Maison Margiela. Galliano currently oversees the design of all Margiela lines, including couture and women’s ready-to-wear. He debuted his first designs for the house during Paris Couture Week in January 2015. “Margiela is ready for a new charismatic creative soul,” said Renzo Rosso , president of OTB, in a statement. “John Galliano is one of the greatest, undisputed talents of all time. A unique, exceptional couturier for a Maison that always challenged and innovated the world of fashion.

I look forward to his return to create that fashion dream that only he can create, and wish him to here find his new home.” Galliano fell from the highest echelons of the fashion establishment, as creative director of Dior in 2011, following his conviction for making anti-Semitic remarks while inebriated. After attending St. Anthony's School and Wilson's Grammar School in London, Galliano studied at Central Saint Martins , from which he graduated in 1988. His first collection, inspired by the French Revolution and entitled Les Incroyables, was bought in its entirety for sale in the London’s Browns boutique. Galliano quickly started his own fashion label and began work with long-term collaborator Amanda Harlech, at the time a fashion editor with Harper’s and Queen. Following a number of false starts with regards to agreements with financial backers, Galliano relocated to Paris to put on his first show as part of Paris Fashion Week in 1989. By 1990, he was bankrupt, and with London offering little by way of relief, the designer permanently relocated to Paris.

Galliano’s inability to find a secure and permanent financial backer finally came to an end with the help of American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and André Leon Talley, then European Correspondent at Vanity Fair. Unable to pay to put on his show S/S in 1993, Talley asked socialite São Schlumberger to lend her 18th-century hôtel particulier for the show. Wintour and Talley arranged financing with the Paine Webber banking group. The collection that followed, dubbed Princess Lucretia, received rave reviews. The New Yorker reported Diane von Furstenberg called it “a watershed moment in modern fashion history.” Bernard Arnault appointed Galliano as the head designer of Givenchy in 1995; the appointment made Galliano the first British designer to head a French haute couture house. In October 1996, LVMH moved Galliano to Dior. In 1997 the CFDA named him international designer of the year. He was named British Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 1987, 1994, 1995, 1997.

The bias cut, the Nefertiti couture collection, the saddlebag – under Galliano, Dior would dominate fashion reporting thanks to the spectacle of his shows and the commerciality of his creations. Following the publication of recordings of Galliano making anti-Semitic remarks, made in June and December 2010, Galliano was sentenced to pay a total of €6,000 (US$8,400) in suspended fines after a French court found him guilty of giving public insults on account of race, in September 2011. Galliano retired from the public in order to deal with the addiction problems. In early 2013, following his rehabilitation for alcohol and substance abuse, Galliano accepted an invitation from Oscar de la Renta for a temporary residency at de la Renta's design studio for the A/W 2013 season. Galliano ended his first television interview since his conviction saying, "I am able to create. I am ready to create...[and] I hope through my atonement I'll be given a second chance.

Career John Galliano stages couture comeback at Margiela | Dazed John Galliano stages couture comeback at Margiela The once-disgraced designer will take over as creative director of the Paris fashion house Maison Martin Margiela SS15 John Galliano is set to make his couture comeback as creative director of Maison Martin Margiela , confirming rumours last week that the once-disgraced designer was headed to the Paris fashion house. "Margiela is ready for a new charismatic creative soul,” said Renzo Rosso, president of OTB, which controls Margiela. “John Galliano is one of the greatest, undisputed talents of all time — a unique, exceptional couturier for a maison that always challenged and innovated the world of fashion. I look forward to his return to create that fashion dream that only he can create, and wish him to here find his new home." It has been a long and slow process of rehabilitation for Galliano, who was fired from Christian Dior and his eponymous fashion house in 2011 following his anti-semitic outburst in a Paris bar. The British designer was subsequently found guilty of hate speech by a French court.

He went to rehab and stayed out of the limelight, seeking to make amends for his remarks. Last year, he took up a three-week residency with Oscar de la Renta. There was speculation that he might take over as creative director, though that was later nixed as Galliano reportedly wanted more money for a big design team. He also nabbed a role as consultant for Russian perfume brand L'Etoile. Galliano will design for all Margiela lines, including couture and women's and men's ready-to-wear, WWD reports. His first collection for Margiela is expected to land in January for Paris Couture Week. In anticipation of their SS15 show , the Maison collaborated with Dazed on a series of cryptic films . See them below: Follow Zing Tsjeng on Twitter here @ misszing Have some news? Let us know on tips@dazedmedia.com John Galliano Joins Maison Martin Margiela – WWD Tim Coppens, Mykita Create Eyewear Collaboration PARIS — When Renzo Rosso acquired Maison Martin Margiela in 2002, it was described as a wedding of fashion’s Greta Garbo with Harpo Marx.

On Monday, Rosso surprised the fashion world again by appointing John Galliano, one of fashion’s most flamboyant and controversial figures, to take over the creative direction of Margiela, founded by an intensely secretive Belgian designer. This story first appeared in the October 7, 2014 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today. The appointment telegraphed Rosso’s daring approach to the fashion business and raised questions about how one of the industry’s great romantics might interpret a house built on avant-garde ideas like deconstruction. It confirmed widespread market speculation that Galliano was headed to the Paris-based company, despite recent denials during Milan Fashion Week by Rosso, whose group, OTB, controls Margiela via a subsidiary called Neuf. “Margiela is ready for a new charismatic creative soul,” said Rosso, president of OTB. “John Galliano is one of the greatest, undisputed talents of all time — a unique, exceptional couturier for a maison that always challenged and innovated the world of fashion.

I look forward to his return to create that fashion dream that only he can create and wish him to here find his new home.” Galliano, 53, has been sitting on the sidelines since being ousted from Christian Dior and his signature fashion house in 2011. It is understood he will take over the design leadership of all Margiela lines, including couture and the women’s and men’s ready-to-wear. He is expected to show his first designs for the house in January during Paris Couture Week. The development marks the return of one of contemporary fashion’s most acclaimed talents, absent from the runways following racist and anti-Semitic outbursts that precipitated one of the most spectacular flameouts in recent history. It also represents something of an about-face for Margiela, whose Belgian founder was often described as the industry’s invisible man for his Greta Garbo-like ways. Following his retirement in 2009, the house left an anonymous team to carry on his legacy, steadfastly refusing to identify any its members.

Prized for his ultrafeminine, historically inspired designs, and a particular penchant for bias-cut gowns, Galliano is hardly an obvious choice for a house known for cleft-toed boots, deconstructed fashions and all-white stores. Yet the British fashion maverick has wide experience designing different kinds of collections, including more casual ranges for women and men under his now-defunct Galliano second line, known for its newspaper prints, distressed leathers and denim. Despite the outcry that precipitated Galliano’s downfall at Dior, early industry reactions to his appointment at Margiela were mainly positive. “Wow,” said Joan Burstein, founder and owner of Browns in London, who famously bought the entire collection Galliano produced upon graduating from Central Saint Martins in 1984. “Those who have nothing against [Galliano] will be happy he’s back in the fashion world, and those who aren’t happy won’t be happy. Browns wishes him happiness as well as great success and we will follow whatever he does with great interest,” Burstein added. “I think this will revolutionize the brand,” said Averyl Oates, fashion director at Galeries Lafayette.

“Although controversial, there is no doubt that Galliano has great energy and is an undisputed visionary. He has a wide repertoire even if he is better known for his theatrical flair, and no doubt they will find a way to bridge his style with the familiar signature deconstruction of the Margiela house,” she added. Jonathan Newhouse, chairman and chief executive officer of Condé Nast International, said, “I am delighted that John is returning to the fashion world at Margiela. He is one of the great design talents of our day. He is in terrific form and it will be exciting to see what he creates.” Last year, the publishing executive told British Vogue that after Galliano went into recovery, he had formed a friendship with the designer and had “opened some doors to the Jewish community,” introducing him to Jewish leaders and Rabbi Barry Marcus from London’s Central Synagogue. Maria Luisa Poumaillou, fashion director at Printemps, said she was intrigued to see what the pairing of Galliano with Margiela would bring. “It’s the most interesting thing I’ve seen in a long time,” she said.

“It’s not immediately obvious what they have in common, except for talent.” She said enough time had passed since Galliano’s firing for the industry and consumers to forgive and move on. “I thought it was the ugliest sacrifice of a great talent that I’ve ever seen, so for me, wherever he’s back, he’s more than welcome. I’m very happy for John,” Poumaillou said. She saluted Rosso’s “guts” and said the decision was a good fit for the brand. “The most conceptual of all fashion houses fell into the hands of the man who built Diesel, so why shouldn’t it today tap the greatest living couturier, who is unemployed?” she asked. “[Rosso] has already pulled it off. We are all talking about Margiela, which will stop being a niche brand in order to become front-page news.” Armand Hadida, founder of Paris concept store L’Eclaireur, said he bought Galliano’s first collections and was excited to have him back. “I like the idea because that is what you expect from fashion and from players like Renzo Rosso — it’s to shake things up, to give them a second lease of life.

I think that without Renzo Rosso, Margiela would have closed down,” he said. The retailer, who is of Moroccan-Jewish origin, said it was time to let bygones be bygones. “No one has the authority to judge anyone whatsoever. We all make mistakes and it’s part of our journey. The important thing is to know your mistakes and to learn to correct them, and I guarantee you that John Galliano has done that,” he said. “I think we have spoken about it enough and today, I am thrilled and also very curious because that is what drives us and gives us pleasure in our work — being on tenterhooks,” he said. “Galliano is an artist who deserves his place and I think he will have more openness and freedom to express his sensitivity and his talent.” OTB noted the appointment of a “visionary, non-conformist” talent would give “significance to the iconoclastic heritage of Margiela, and new impulse to its exciting future.” The appointment of a star designer like Galliano also suggests that Rosso is keen to bring more attention to Margiela — and willing to risk a possible backlash. Galliano was not immediately available for comment.

According to retailers, Margiela management has put the development focus on its secondary line MM6 in recent years as buzz faded around its top lines. Rosso’s OTB swept in and bought a majority stake in Margiela in 2002, one of series of acquisitions aimed at building a multibrand Italian group. More recent investments include Viktor & Rolf and Marni. At the time of Margiela’s 20th-anniversary fashion show in Paris in 2009, the founder had gradually reduced his day-to-day involvement in the company, working mainly on special products, including the house’s first fragrance under license with beauty giant L’Oréal. While long cloaked in mystery and steeped in conceptual high-mindedness, Margiela ultimately took on a more commercial bent following the Rosso investment, opening boutiques in more established neighborhoods, expanding its offer of accessories and branching out into lifestyle categories such as home decor. Market sources estimate the company generates about 100 million euros annually, or $126 million at current exchange. It operates about 50 directly owned stores.

Upon Margiela’s final exit, the company explored the possibility of naming a new creative director, with Raf Simons and Haider Ackermann among those approached. NEXT PAGE: Continue Reading >> More recently, the likes of former Céline designer Ivana Omazic had cycled in and out, with London-based Marios Schwab brought in recently as a secret consultant. Industry insiders were familiar with other key talents in the maison, particularly Christopher Booth in men’s wear and Matthieu Blazy, who exited the house Oct. 1 after receiving kudos particularly for the Artisanal couture range, cobbled together with offbeat materials and vintage materials. Rosso has never hidden his enthusiasm for Galliano, best known for a 15-year stint at Dior. “Who wouldn’t like to work with him? If he ever got back his name, I would be the first to produce his collections,” Rosso told WWD on Sept. 18, while also denying that he was joining Margiela. Brave Kid Srl has produced children’s collections for John Galliano since 2008, a licensing deal that sparked a friendship between the designer and Rosso.

According to sources, Rosso was among top industry figures who embraced Galliano and assisted him during his rehabilitation. Last year, Galliano took up a three-week designer-in-residence role at Oscar de la Renta, and the designer’s influence was very visible in de la Renta’s subsequent fall 2013 collection. It was a bold and risky move for de la Renta, who later was said to have engaged the controversial talent in advanced talks of permanent employment, which eventually disintegrated when Galliano pushed to bring his own staff with him. At the time of Galliano’s stint at de la Renta, Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, voiced his support for the designer. On Monday, Foxman told WWD: “I wish him all the success. He has earned it. He’s got the talent, and hopefully, he has overcome the past. He certainly has tried hard enough to apologize, to put the past behind him, to rehabilitate. I think it’s time for people who care to move on.

If this is the place for him to succeed, I only wish him the greatest of success.” Ken Downing, senior vice president and fashion director at Neiman Marcus, said, “It felt like the time was right to see him re-enter the world of fashion. I think he is a good fit for Maison Martin Margiela.” As reasons, he cited Galliano’s tailoring prowess, ability to reimagine the codes of a house‚ “taking something common and making it uncommon with the twist and the turn and the unexpected way to deliver ready-to-wear. “I think his success at a house and his success in the industry is all up to John,” Downing said. “He spent a lot time getting himself together. He is a supertalented man and has a lot of great things he can bring to the industry. If his mind and his body are in that place, surely he will be welcomed back with open arms into an industry that understands the enormity of his talent and his contributions from the past.” Whether the customer is ready remains to be seen. “Will everyone be thrilled? I can’t answer that,” Downing said.

“That’s up to the customer in the end, but I think that he has worked very hard at getting himself together and making sure he finds himself in a good place.” Foreshadowing another return to fashion, Galliano appeared on French television last month saying he was in the midst of a return “back into creativity,” citing his role as creative director for Russian perfumery chain L’Etoile and as a mentor to four male students at Central Saint Martins in London. Following a series of drunken altercations that prompted his dismissal from Dior, the designer was charged with public insult, with a Paris court sentencing him to suspended fines totaling 6,000 euros, or $8,400. At his trial, Galliano blamed work-related stress and multiple addictions for his behavior. He is embroiled in a labor case pitting him against his former employers, Christian Dior SA and John Galliano. It is understood the designer is seeking compensation in the range of 6 million euros, or $8.1 million at current exchange, for wrongful dismissal. A works tribunal is slated to begin hearings on the case on Nov. 4.

However, sources said Galliano could be laying the groundwork for a possible rapprochement with Dior — seen as a possibility should the designer withdraw his ongoing labor suit against the company, as reported. Galliano recently extended an olive branch to Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, during his television appearance, saying, “I hope one day to be able to visit him, explain what happened.” A club kid from South London via Gibraltar, Galliano hit the international fashion radar immediately after graduating from Central Saint Martins. With his theatrical flair and inspirations of epic proportions, Galliano immediately became famous for his ultrafeminine gowns, innovative tailoring and a cheeky, streetwise edge. Commercial success didn’t come as easily. Based in London early in his career, Galliano struggled throughout the Eighties and early Nineties, with a succession of backers. He had to close his business three times after they withdrew their financing because of slow sales growth.

Still, his technical virtuosity and knack for making fashion headlines attracted the attention of Arnault, who tapped him in 1995 to succeed Hubert de Givenchy upon his retirement, moving the British designer to Dior a year later. “Mr. Arnault is a true visionary to put someone like myself in my position,” Galliano told WWD in an interview in 2007. “Many houses have copied that since.” At Dior, he succeeded a string of legendary design talents: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan and Gianfranco Ferré. Galliano quickly woke up the brand with his bravado, a broad spectrum of fashion expression and a soaring imagination. He characterized his shows around 1999 and 2000 as “rupture” moments for Dior, including the so-called “Matrix” couture collection that announced a tough-chic moment, and a hip-hop flavored, Lauryn Hill-inspired show that arrived at the onset of logo mania. He has also sent trailer-park babes, bruised boxers and rockabilly types down Dior’s rtw runway.

His signature collections have been no less spectacular, from Bollywood beauties dusted in colored powders to a charming, oddball parade of childlike cardboard floats and clothes deliberately too big for the models. Later in his Dior career, Galliano churned out more ladylike and commercial rtw and ratcheted up references to Dior icons, like the bar jacket, equestrian looks, English men’s wear fabrics and the color gray. Margiela’s spring show, with Kanye West in the front row next to Rosso, melded sweet, pioneer styles like floral house dresses with edgier fare like nude bodysuits and oversize Willy Wonka sunglasses. Margiela himself, who along with the Antwerp Six put Belgium on the map, could not immediately be reached for comment. According to sources, he has recently poured creative energies into painting and other artistic pursuits. OTB is also the parent of Diesel and the manufacturer Staff International. Last year, OTB’s revenues totaled about $2 billion.

John Galliano to Show First Margiela Collection in London | News & Analysis | BoF John Galliano to Show First Margiela Collection in London 471 Shares Comment By Kate Abnett December 10, 2014 14:15 BoF has learned that John Galliano, the recently appointed creative director at Paris fashion house Maison Martin Margiela, will show his first couture collection for the brand in London in January. John Galliano and Anna Wintour at the British Fashion Awards | Source: British Fashion Council 471 Shares Comment By Kate Abnett December 10, 2014 14:15 LONDON, United Kingdom — John Galliano , recently appointed creative director at Maison Martin Margiela, will show his first ‘Artisanal’ haute couture collection in London on January 12, 2015 "around tea time". It was previously reported that the designer would debut his first designs for the fashion brand, owned by Italy's Only The Brave (OTB) group, during Paris Couture Week, where the collection will also be presented by appointment.

Last week, Galliano appeared on stage in London at the British Fashion Awards to present Anna Wintour , editor-in-chief of American Vogue, and artistic director for Condé Nast, with her Outstanding Achievement award. Wintour also wore a Margiela by John Galliano design to the ceremony, in what has been widely interpreted as an unambiguous show of support. Galliano took the reins at Margiela in October, having been absent from the fashion world since 2011, when he was dismissed from his post as creative director of Christian Dior after being filmed making racist and anti-Semitic remarks while inebriated in a Paris bar. “Margiela is ready for a new charismatic creative soul,” said Renzo Rosso , president of the Only The Brave (OTB) group, which owns Maison Martin Margiela, in a statement at the time of the designer's appointment. “John Galliano is one of the greatest, undisputed talents of all time. A unique, exceptional couturier for a Maison that always challenged and innovated the world of fashion.

I look forward to his return to create that fashion dream that only he can create, and wish him to here find his new home.” The appointment was viewed by some as a surprising choice for Margiela, whose Belgian founder was known as fashion’s invisible man. Galliano, on the other hand, is renowned for his showmanship and the appointment suggests that Rosso may have big plans for the Margiela brand. John Galliano Creative Director, Maison Margiela Following his reign at Dior, John Galliano has reestablished himself in fashion through his work as creative director of Maison Margiela. Anna Wintour Editor-in-Chief, Vogue US The ultimate editor and industry powerbroker has led the world’s most influential fashion magazine for decades and is Condé Nast’s artistic director. Renzo Rosso President, OTB He has assembled a powerful group of companies under OTB, including Diesel, Maison Margiela, Viktor&Rolf and Marni. John Galliano Named Creative Director of Maison Martin Margiela SHARE Prokofyev Vyacheslav—Corbis Designer John Galliano poses at Barvikha Luxury Village in Moscow on May 22, 2014.

The flamboyant designer has been appointed creative director for Maison Martin Margiela, three years after an anti-Semitic outburst saw him dismissed from Christian Dior Controversial fashion designer John Galliano has a new job as creative director of Maison Martin Margiela, a Paris-based fashion house. Galliano had been out of commission ever since he was ousted from Christian Dior in 2011 after his arrest and subsequent conviction in France for uttering anti-Semitic remarks, which are illegal there. But his most recent move appears to signal that he may be finding his way back into the fashion world. “John Galliano is one of the greatest, undisputed talents of all time — a unique, exceptional couturier for a maison that always challenged and innovated the world of fashion,” Italian industrialist Renzo Rosso, who runs Margiela’s owner OTB, told Womens Wear Daily . “I look forward to his return to create that fashion dream that only he can create, and wish him to here find his new home.” Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, told WWD the designer had attempted to atone for his remarks since his conviction.

“He certainly has tried hard enough to apologize, to put the past behind him, to rehabilitate,” he said. “I think it’s time for people who care to move on. If this is the place for him to succeed, I only wish him the greatest of success.” Galliano’s new designs for the fashion house are expected to debut during Paris Couture Week in January. John Galliano to Margiela: Designer Fired From Dior For Anti-Semitic Rant Will Head House Margiela John Galliano to Margiela: Designer Fired From Dior For Anti-Semitic Rant Will Head House Margiela 10/06/14 AT 12:12 PM Close British fashion designer John Galliano is returning to the industry after being fired as creative director of Christian Dior in 2011 after an anti-Semitic rant. After a period of being an outcast, Galliano is returning to the industry as creative director of Parisian avant garde design house Maison Martin Margiela, where he will design Margiela’s couture line as well as its men’s and women’s ready-to-wear. But is the fashion world ready for his comeback?

Even in an industry known for wild provocateurs, Galliano’s rant at a Paris café in 2011 stood out for its outrageousness and offensiveness. According to court papers, respected art curator Geraldine Bloch alleges that Galliano suddenly began pulling her hair and yelling anti-Semitic slurs, even later threatening her friend, plaintiff Philippe Virgitti, that he was going to kill him. Galliano was fired from his post as creative director at Christian Dior, a position he’d held since 1996. Now, after keeping a low profile and sitting out a stint in rehab for alcohol and drug problems, Galliano is no longer designer non grata. Galliano had been a shining star in the fashion world, in the pantheon of designers including Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, and the late Alexander McQueen. Like those peers, Galliano has an irreverent approach to luxury fashion – incorporating street fashion, ethnic design elements and historical references into his designs -- and he helped elevate the fashion runway into performance art. British fashion designer John Galliano, fired from Christian Dior in 2011 for his anti-Semitic rants, is no longer designer non grata.

He was named creative director of Maison Martin Margiela in Paris. Photo: Reuters But Galliano fell very far from grace in February 2011, when patrons at a small bar in the fashionable Parisian neighborhood Le Marais (historically a Jewish neighborhood), saw him dragged out by police after he hurled anti-Semitic slurs at a couple next to him. Soon after his arrest, a video surfaced of yet another earlier anti-Semitic – and seemingly drunken – rant at the same bar, in which he was recorded as saying, “I love Hitler,” telling a patrons near him “People like you would be dead today. Your mothers, your forefathers would be f*cking dead and gassed.” Related Stories Tag Team Fashion: John Galliano Joins Oscar de la Renta Making anti-Semitic remarks is illegal in France and can bring up to six months in prison, and although Galliano was found guilty of "public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity,” he didn't serve any time. Instead, he was fined 6,000 euros (about $8,400) and apologized to the plaintiffs.

“In theory, the law provides for a prison sentence, but it’s extremely rare,” Jean-Yves Depuex of French law firm Lussan & Associates, told Vogue . In 2013, Galliano told Vanity Fair that he had been sober for two years, and was rediscovering his creativity. “It’s the worst thing I have said in my life, but I didn’t mean it," he told them of his infamous rant. "I have been trying to find out why that anger was directed at this race." “Margiela is ready for a new charismatic creative soul,” said Renzo Ross, president of OTB, which controls Margiela. “John Galliano is one of the greatest, undisputed talents of all time – a unique, exceptional couturier for a house that always challenged and innovated the world of fashion. I look forward to his return to create that fashion dream that only he can create, and hope he finds a new home here.” Margiela’s new creative director is set to debut his first collection in January for Paris couture week.

Question: John Galliano is the principal couturier for which fashion house?
Answer: DIOR